Igniting human-centred learning: reflections on the NZATD Conference
Bonita Misilisi (left), winner of the L&D Manager award, presented by Riëtte Ackermann for EPD.
Riëtte Ackermann
Executive and Professional Development Manager
This year’s New Zealand Association for Training and Development (NZATD) Conference brought together learning and development professionals from across Aotearoa and further afield, to explore how people learn, adapt, and connect in an ever-changing world. The conference theme, Tahu | Ignite: Ignite learning, spark change – tied to the broader Tahu Mātauranga: Sharing Knowledge and Wisdom for L&D Week 2025 – celebrated the impact of learning. The conference was held on 10–11 September 2025 at the Harbourside Function Venue in Wellington.
As sponsors, the University of Auckland Business School’s Executive and Professional Development (EPD) team was proud to support the event, including presenting an NZATD L&D Manager Award and offering two free short courses as engagement prizes. It was also great to have members of the University’s Organisational Development team at the conference, and to celebrate the UoA Hono Project team’s success in winning the Best Skills-Based Learning Project Award.
From the first day, the Staying Human in the Tech Storm keynote by Dr Jane Bozarth set a resonant tone: technology is transforming how we facilitate and access learning. She challenged us to centre human connection even as we adopt new tools, reminding us that our purpose in learning and development is not to transmit information, but to nurture growth, which includes working with our emotions, stories, relationships, and meaning.
Across sessions, speakers challenged us to rethink how learning design and delivery can create psychological safety, meaningful connection, and real-world impact. Themes of accessibility, adaptive design, neuroplasticity, and contextual understanding reinforced that effective learning is more than content delivery, it is about creating environments where people feel seen, empowered, and motivated to reflect, experiment, and practise new ways of thinking, being and doing.
One of the highlights was Kerri Price’s Art of Connection: Creating Safe Spaces for Meaningful Learning, which demonstrated how connection and psychological safety can transform the learning experience. Kerri reframed safety not as the absence of discomfort but as the presence of connection, the trust that enables authenticity and engagement (based on the work of Gabor Maté). Using storytelling, sensory prompts, and reflective activities, she illustrated practical ways facilitators can build genuine connection and shared trust.
For EPD, attending and being one of the conference sponsors was more than a gesture – it was a strong affirmation of our philosophy that learning should be deeply human, relational, and purpose-driven. The conversations and connections made there will continue to fuel our thinking and design as we help organisations ignite meaningful change.
